Means to cut butter or lard.



PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

W. G. LONGSTRETH. MEANS TO CUT BUTTER OR LARD.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6l 1905.

the cutter-case.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. LONGSTRETH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

' MEANS TO CUT BUTTER OR LAHD- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11. 1906.

Application filed February 8.1906. Serial No. 244,485,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. LONG- STRETH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles,-- in the county of Los Ane es and State of California, have invented new and useful Im rovements in-Means to Cut Butter or Lar of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to rovide a simple and reliable device whereby ard, butter, or other substance of like character may be cut into quarter, halfpounds, or other quan= tities. I accom lish this object by means of the device described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a erspective view of a lard and butter cutter evice embodying my inven tion. Fig.2 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a pers ective view of one of the measuring-blocks orinsertion in In the drawin s, A represents a rectangular cutting-case ma e of tin or other suitable material open at one end and having attached to the other end thereof a conical-shaped handle B. Disposed in the center thereof is the graduated stem 0, having graduation-marks laced thereon and carrying at its outer end a handle D, removably secured thereon. On the inner end of the stem is mounted the follower E, also detachably secured thereto.

In this case I have shown both ends of the rod 0 screw-threaded for screw-threaded enga ement with the handle at one end and the oll ower at the other for reasons which will be hereinafter explained.

- In using my device the proper number of measuring-blocks F are placed upon the stem by unscrewing the stem from the follower E and placing thereon the necessary number of measuring-blocks F. These blocks are made of a size exactly large enough to occupy the same space required for a quarter-pound of butter, and having placed thereon a necessary number of measuring-blocks F to leave a space for the amount of butter required to be cut I screw the follower E onto the stem, when the device is ready for use. By placing the device over the lard or butter to be cut it is pressed down as far as it will go, the follower 'rising in the casing until the measuringblocks stop the further movement thereof. The cutter is then removed, carrying with it the butter contained in the space below the follower. In Fig. 2 this space is shown at A and will represent a quarterof a pound of butter. The cutter is then removed above the place where it is required to deposit the qu arteround of butter. When the handle is pushed own as far as it will go, the ends D will contact with the stop B on the handle, at which time the follower will be flush with the open end of the casing, removin the quarter-pound of butter therefrom. hese quarter-poun'd-measuring blocks may be lost or misplaced, and I have therefore shown on the stem C graduated marks to indicate a quantity of butter that will be cut when the follower is pressed up against the measuringblock or any substitute therefor. In case it is desired, for instance, to set the cutter so it will measure ofl half a pound of butter two measuring-blocks will be placed on the stem,

til the number 1} registers with the point B on the handle, or washers or any substance may be placed on the stem that will limit the stroke of the plunger in the casing, so that the raduated mark '5 registers with the end B of the handle. By this means the loss or displacement of the measuring-blocks will not prevent the desired ad justments of the cutter for cutting any desired quantity of lard or butter. The handle B on its exterior re resents the frustum' of a cone, the object 0 which is to prevent the handle from slip ing out of the hand of the operator in withdrawing the cutter from the lard or butter being cut, the handle being more or less slipper", owing to the nature of the substance on which it is used. At the 0 en end of the casing and in the center t ereof I have provided aremovable dividingwire G, which will divide the substance being cut into halves.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an article of manufacture, a cutter for butter or lard, comprising a case, open at one end and closed at the other and provided in the closedend with a centrally-located orifice, a handle secured to the closed end of the case and provided with an orifice in line with the previously-mentioned orifice, a rod fitted to and'sliding through saiji orifice a follower removably secured to the rod an a measuring-block having a hole therethrough by which it may be mounted u on the rod and the latter may move free y therethrough whereby to form a stop for the plunger.

2. The combination with a case open at IIO one end and closed at the other, and a conel Inwitness that I claim the foregoing I have shaped handle secured to the closed end of hereunto subseribedmy name this 28th day 10 the case, of a rod, having graduation-marks of January, 1905.

thereon, a plun er removabl secured to one end of the rod End a measuri ng-bloek adapt- LONGSTRETH' ed to be mounted on the rod, and a rod Witnesses:

ada ted to slide freely therethrough whereby G. E. HARPHAM,

the hlock forms a stop for the plunger. MARGARETE C. NIOKELESON. 

